INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.
Job title: Senior Technical Officer
Salary: PO2 £39,862 - £42,839
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent
Location: Hybrid Working
The Building Safety Team oversee the Council’s compliance with regard to the implementation of the Building Safety Act with regard to 120 in scope high-rise buildings.
You will work in collaboration and co-operation with the Fire Safety Team, all services in Asset Management, Housing Management, the Building Safety Regulator, WYFRS and the HSE to support the successful delivery of all property related services.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About you
As a Senior Technical Officer you will bring to the role:
- You will have extensive knowledge of the Building Safety Act, the Building Regulations, social housing legislation and health & safety legislation.
- A degree level qualification in construction/surveying or equivalent experience.
- It is desirable that you hold or are working towards a NEBOSH Fire certificate or equivalent fire safety qualification.
- You will have experience of providing complex reports.
- A strong focus on accuracy, organisation and attention to detail.
- Ability to prioritise work to ensure that deadlines are met.
About the role
Leeds City Council manages approximately 54,000 Council Properties; we deliver services to a diverse community and work in close partnership with agencies and organisations in the City.
The Asset Management division is part of Housing Leeds, responsible for the management and delivery of all Property Management related services, including repairs, planned works, compliancy, regeneration schemes.
In this role you will be required to support on a day-to-day basis the Building Safety Team functions. Assisting with the implementation, reviewing and auditing of policies. Supporting the inspection programme and repairs/investment needs identified from those inspections. Ensuring safety occurrences are reported in appropriate timescales to enforcement bodies. Supporting the Team Leader to develop the Golden Thread and ancillary systems. Supporting the evolution of collation of building safety information for the blocks and Building Safety Case reports. You will be expected to support the Council & other stakeholders fulfil their statutory obligation in relation to Building Safety and Fire Safety and liaise with external organisations.
You will need to have a degree level qualification in construction/surveying or equivalent experience and a NEBOSH Fire certificate or equivalent fire safety qualification or be working towards an award would be desirable. Have extensive knowledge of the Building Safety Act, the Building Regulations, social housing legislation and health & safety legislation. You will be required to provide complex reports.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
- a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
- membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
- flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
- a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
- a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Complete the online application form.
Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role contact Louise Batterby, Service Manager (Building Safety) Call 07891 275305 or email louise.batterby@leeds.gov.uk
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job Purpose:
Technical lead for the frontline delivery of the building safety and advice team, including all policy determination, surveying activity, investigations, advice and support to divisional colleagues and programmes along with the management of data.
Provide direct line management/supervision to a team of frontline technical staff.
Undertake inspections and risk assessments to council high risk building assets in order to manage the corporate risk arising from building safety, determine stock condition, defects and risk, then identify, diagnose, and develop solutions to assist the overall asset management of the authorities housing stock in line with, legislation, internal policies and procedures.
Provide advice, training, and expertise to divisional colleagues upon actions to take to improve building safety, produce specifications and schedules of work where required.
To ensure the council systems hold up to date and accurate data on building safety at all times and suitable reporting is undertaken.
To ensure the programme of building safety risk assessments are capably executed.
To provide direction and specification’s for works that are required to improve building safety within the stock
To play an active part in repair/modernisation programmes of work to ensure the quality and appropriateness of the activities suit the building safety strategy.
To ensure statutory requirements of the team are proactively met in regard to building safety.
To work closely with stakeholders and maintain good working relationships with regulatory bodies.
To ensure customers are supported at all times.
To develop and deliver upon policy and strategy in the field of building safety
Principal Responsibilities:
- Technical lead for the frontline delivery of the service in-line with council and departmental performance standards, values, policies and priorities.
- Manage all activities in compliance with legal, regulatory, contract and internal requirements.
- Support the delivery of service plans in collaboration with stakeholders to ensure the continuous and on-going innovation and improvement of the service in-line with council objectives in order to achieve excellence.
- Continually drive a value for money, customer focussed service.
- Take ownership for and manage relationships with all stakeholders to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.
- Manage activities within individual delegated budgets and the management of spend in-line with agreed budget profiles, including the prioritisation and planning of work.
- Take accountability for the outputs of all duties ensuring adequate and robust audit and risk management procedures are in place.
Please note this is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities.
Leadership Responsibilities:
- To lead, manage, motivate and develop team members in accordance with council policies and employment laws, and ensure that relevant procedures are understood and followed.
- To ensure that the team works professionally, competently, and in a forward thinking and customer focused way whilst embracing collaborative partnership working in order to achieve excellence.
- To demonstrate and embed the council Values and Manager Habits to lead, support and drive cultural change.
- Please note this is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.
Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview or Certificate.
- Qualifications and Knowledge
- Technical Qualification in the field of building surveying and/or fire safety management
- Knowledge of building defects / construction techniques.
- Landlord’s responsibilities in relation to repairs & maintenance.
- Expertise in Construction Health & Safety.
Specific Skills and Competencies
- Experience of negotiation on issues within a political environment
- Ability to manage priorities whilst delivering on a range of projects and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities
- Ability to diagnose and develop solutions to repair problems.
- Developing and maintaining strong and effective working relationships with stakeholders
- Ability to analyse and interpret information and report to a wide range of audiences
- Considerable experience of using Microsoft packages and IT systems
- Chairing meetings effectively
- To support on driving a culture through the team that is focussed both on customers and quality
- Completion of reports in a diligent and accurate manner
- Considerable experience of project management
- Appropriate delegation of workload
- Considerable experience of problem solving involving complex issues
- Support on engagement with managers and contractors in order to effectively progress change
Experience
- Managing construction contracts.
- Working with the HSE & WYFRS undertaking accident investigations.
- Experience of carrying out repairs and maintenance inspections and/or fire risk assessments.
- Considerable experience of managing medium-large projects.
- Managing programmes of work within defined budgets.
- Considerable experience of leading a team.
- Considerable experience of working within Leeds City Council.
- Considerable experience of working within a complex political environment.
- Working with an Internal Service Provider.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS: It is desirable that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates are not required to meet all the Desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.
Qualifications and Knowledge
Degree Level qualification in Building / Construction or equivalent experience.
Membership of a professional body i.e. RICS. IFSM
Up to date knowledge of Leeds City Council and issues affecting the sector.
Standard forms of building contracts
Experience
- Supporting on partnership and multi-agency working.
- Considerable involvement in the procurement of works/services.
- Working with and negotiating with trade unions.
- Undertaking service reviews.
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